Danes Girls
by purpleshlurple
Summary: Luke has 2 children - Megan (11) and Rory (15) with Rachel, with whom he has separated. Lorelai exists but has no children. Jess will appear later in the story.
1. Chapter 1

Luke has 2 children, Rory (15) and Megan (11), with Rachel. The two have been broken up for around 5 years, and Rachel works as a photographer, travelling often, and returning to Stars Hollow when she can, where she now has a studio apartment. Lorelai has no children, she lives in Stars Hollow, visiting the diner frequently, and is a good friend to the Danes family, meeting them after Rachel has left. Jess exists and will come into the story. Rachel has rich, estranged parents, and Rory will still go to Chilton.

...

"Megan, hurry up, we're gonna be late" Rory shouted to her sister.

"Hang on, I can't find Mom's poster…ah-hah, got it".

Megan threw her schoolbag over her shoulder as she raced through the apartment clutching the big 'Welcome Home' poster she had made for her Mom the night before. She headed downstairs, closely followed by her older sister, who quickly scanned the room for any forgotten textbooks, homework sheets or items of clothing before she left.

"Dad, you need to blue tack this to the door before we get back, ok? Look, I drew us all, there's you making us burgers, and that's a giant chocolate cake you made too." Megan slid her poster across the counter and grinned up at her Dad.

"Hmm, yeah, great subtle hint there Megs, looks like you forgot the big bowls of salad I was gonna prepare."

"Dad!" Megan looked at him wide-eyed, panicking that Luke might have forgotten about their Mom's traditional first night back in Stars Hollow meal.

"Relax ok, Dad's joking" Rory reassured as she steered her sister towards the door, so they could head to school.

"Youre mean!" Megan glared up at her Dad.

Luke just smiled back at his youngest daughter. "School time kid, you better get going before your sister has a meltdown about being late."

The two girls left the diner and headed across the square to Stars Hollow Elementary School, where Megan was in fifth grade.

"Hey, you know Mom's not really 'coming home' right? I mean, its only a visit, and this isn't really her home" Rory carefully asked her sister.

Megan looked sideways towards her sister. "Well it kind of is though. We live here, and she used to live with us in the apartment, and she grew up in Hartford which is super close, and its not like somewhere else is her home, she's always moving about. Remember that picture she sent us last month of the hut in Argentina she's been staying in. I bet you that Stars Hollow is more of her home than that place."

Both of the girls had a point. Rachel, their Mom, had left Stars Hollow 5 years earlier, when Rory was 10 and Megan was about to turn six. Things between the parents had been tense for a while, and Rachel had decided she should return to her job as a photographer, travelling around the world to document different cultures, working on assignments for various magazines. She dropped by to visit the girls whenever possible, sometimes staying for a week or two, but often she was able to stay for longer, while she did editing work before heading off on a new assignment.

When their Mom had left, it had been made clear to the girls that their parents were splitting up, although in the six years that had passed their Dad hadn't dated anyone, and as far as their knew, neither had their Mom. The girls, especially Megan, found it hard not to hope that one day their parents would get back together. Rory however, remembering more of the arguments that had occurred when they were still a family all living above the diner together, tried her best to discourage Megan from getting her hopes up about any of this.

"Well, just remember, she's only here for 10 days this time, she's coming to my Chilton interview, and your dance show, and then she's got to get back to her hut" Rory reminded her sister.

"Oh man, I'm so excited for Mom to see the dance show! Did you know I've got an actual solo this year?" Megan jumped up and down as she remembered one of the reasons for their Moms visit.

"Hmm, really? You didn't mention it", Rory looked at her sister in mock seriousness.

Megan rolled her eyes at her sister. "Oh ha-ha, you're nearly as funny as Dad".

As they reached the Elementary school Rory said to goodbye to her sister, and headed down the street to Stars Hollow High.

...

Lorelai realised that Luke had become totally distracted from her description of the latest hilarious towel related incident she'd suffered earlier that day, at the Independence Inn where she worked. She followed his smiling gaze out of the diner window and across to the town square. She saw Rachel and Rory as they headed towards the diner, with Megan dancing ahead, spinning around every so often to shout something back to the pair.

Lorelai turned back to the counter, as Luke broke his gaze and looked back at her.

"So anyway, next time someone offers to shape a towel into a swan for you, just say no!" Lorelai grinned awkwardly as she tried to cut her story short. "Well, I better go, my business class starts soon, thanks for the coffee", she said hurriedly, as she gathered up her things and left the diner.

Luke watched her stop and chat briefly as she was intercepted by the girls, before dashing to her car.

...

"You're sure you're ok with me staying here Luke? It's just I wasn't expecting to be back yet, so I'd rented out my place till the end of next month" Rachel asked as she stood in the living area of her former apartment. Even when the four of them and all lived together, their home had been Luke's Dads old office and storage rooms above what was now Luke's Diner. It was small, but it still worked for them all, the girls each had their own small room, as did Luke, with a small open plan kitchen/dining/living area in the middle.

"Of course we don't. I'm gonna share with Rory, and I tidied my room especially for you! Come look, you can see my new dance certificates too!" Megan grabbed her Mom's hand and pulled her towards her room.

"Exactly. Anything that gets Megan to tidy her room without a huge amount of whining is good with me" Luke murmured, and smiled as Rachel turned around and caught his gaze.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews and follows! Trying something different with the story. Id love to know what you think, so reviews are great!

"So Megs, Rory and I will come pick you up from dance practice and we go out for our usual arcade games and Mexican food night tonight" Rachel said to her youngest daughter as Megan packed her dance things ready for her last after school practice before the show, which was the following night.

"But we usually do that on your last night in Stars Hollow, and you're not leaving until Saturday" Rory looked up from the table, where she sat eating cereal, with her nose in a book.

"Yes, but tomorrow night we are going to Megan's dance show, and then on Friday we are all having dinner with my parents" Rachel explained to her eldest daughter.

"You know Friday's not Thanksgiving or anything, right?" Rory grumbled.

Megan gave her sister a weird look. She had been in a grump for a few days now, which was not making her much fun to share a room with. Megan considered Rory's recent mood, and realised it had come about on Tuesday, which had been the day of her Chilton interview. Of course she had been accepted to the fancy private school which everyone had suddenly decided that Rory needed to go to in order to help her on her way towards her goal of attending Harvard. Meg hadn't been surprised that Rory had gotten in, her sister had basically perfect grades and she bet that she had impressed them all at the interview with how much she read and knew.

"Yes, I am aware there is no major holiday being celebrated this Friday, but we are still having dinner with my parents, ok" her Mom's sharp reply broke through Megan's thoughts.

"Fine" Rory answered blankly. "Come on Megan, school time".

…

Megan jumped into the truck to join her Mom and sister. She was so ready for a huge plate of nachos and tacos after a long afternoon at her dance rehearsal. She was also looking forward to the usually hilarious night of arcade games with her family. It was just what she needed; a distraction from her nerves about tomorrow night's dance show. This was the first time she had been given a solo, and she really didn't want to mess it up in front of all her friends and family.

"Hey sweetie, how was the rehearsal?" Rachel turned from the driver's seat to ask her youngest daughter.

"It was ok, I only forgot one move in my solo, hopefully I'll remember it all tomorrow though" Megan answered as she gave her Mom a nervous smile.

The rest of the car ride was a quiet one and Megan could feel some tension between Rachel and Rory.

At dinner, the girls ordered way too much food, as usual, as they planned to take the leftovers home and sneak them for breakfast while Luke wasn't looking.

"So I went and bought your uniform today, I thought you could try it on so I can hem it for you before I leave, I don't think your Dad would be up to doing that big a sewing task" Rachel told her eldest daughter.

"Dad's actually pretty good at sewing, he has to be since he's the only one around to help Megs with her dance clothes and weird craft projects" Rory muttered.

Megan looked up from her nachos, shocked at her sister's sudden outburst. "Um, Dad has only had to sew some elastic onto my shoes that one time, Lorelai usually helps with all my costumes and stuff. And anyway, my projects aren't weird, you still use that pillow I made you last Christmas!" Megan retorted.

"Rory, hun, I'm really not a fan of this sudden attitude of yours, especially not if you're taking it out on your sister. Is it because you're mad I'm not going to be here on Monday for your first day at Chilton? Because I'm really sorry, but I have to fly back on Monday, the editor is coming to see how the project is going, I really can't get out of it."

"I just…well…I think maybe Chilton isn't such a good idea" Rory mumbled.

"What?" Rachel and Megan both looked at her incredulously.

"Well, I don't think the timing's great, and then there's the buses to think about. I'll be away from home for so much longer each day, which means I won't be able to help out in the diner so much. And I won't be there to walk Megan to school and back. And then there's the money; even with the scholarship it must be costing you and Dad so much money" Rory explained in a rush.

"Kid, your Dad and I are dealing with the money, so don't stress about that, Chilton is important, it's going to get you to Harvard. And all this worry about buses and timings is crazy talk, this is your dream, you were so excited when you got invited to the interview, what happened?"

"And I am 11 years old, I think I can actually manage to walk to school without you, so don't bring me into your dumb argument" Megan added, clearly annoyed.

"Can we just go home, I've explained my reasons to you, and I don't want to discuss this here" Rory muttered to her Mom as she began to pack their leftovers into a doggy bag.

"But what about the arcade?" Rachel asked her daughters.

"It's ok Mom, I should probably get some rest before tomorrow" Megan squeezed her Mom's hand as they watched Rory rush off to wait for them in the car.

…

Luke looked up from the table he was wiping, surprised to see his daughters and Rachel pulling up outside the diner. He checked his watch; it was still early, he wondered if they had come home because Megan was too tired after her long dance rehearsal.

He watched as Rory dashed into the diner, followed by Rachel, with her arm around Megan, who was clutching a big bag of leftovers. He rolled his eyes, however hard he tried, he could not get his girls to share his love of eating healthily, they always went for junk food when they could, a habit they seemed to have inherited from their Mom.

Miss Patty called out to Rory as she crossed the diner to head upstairs. "Oh sweetie, I think Iven found a good job for your male friend, he just needs to check in at the market after school tomorrow".

"Male friend?" Rachel repeated, confused. They all looked at each other.

"Umm great, thanks" Rory stammered, blushing as she raced upstairs.

"Oh, he seems lovely, and so tall and handsome" Miss Patty chuckled.

"Well that explains a lot" Rachel looked angry, as she went to follow her eldest daughter upstairs. She was closely followed by Luke, who still looked confused, unaware of Rory's earlier outburst at dinner.

"Oh dear me, I hope I haven't said something wrong" Miss Patty started to look a little worried. "Well, I best be off, have to get enough beauty sleep before the big event tomorrow, eh Megan" she winked at the youngest Danes girl.

"Yep, definitely, see you tomorrow Miss Patty" Megan waved as she locked the diner door behind her. After the earlier argument she had actually forgotten about her big solo the next night. She turned the door sign to 'closed' and began to clean the counter. Megan was not looking forward to going upstairs, where it sounded like an argument was taking place between her parents and sister.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the reviews and follows, keep them coming please, would love to know what you think! I'm basically following the gg story atm, to explain the situation, but I have some new ideas planned for the next few chapters.

...

Megan stood outside her grandparents' house alongside her parents and sister. None of them had said much since leaving Stars Hollow earlier that evening. Thing between everyone were tense since Rory's outburst two nights ago. Rory had been in a bad mood since then, angry at her parents for not understanding her reasons for no longer wanting to attend Chilton. Both of her parents were mad at her for her change of heart, disappointed that she was apparently choosing a guy over such a good education opportunity. The 3 had had a loud argument on Wednesday night, which Megan heard end with her Dad yelling at Rory that she would be going to Chilton on Monday morning whether she liked it or not. Judging by how out of character Rory was being lately, Megan had no idea whether this would be the case or not.

"So do we knock, or are we just gonna stand here re-enacting the Little Match Girl?" Rory asked sarcastically.

"Hey! Cut the attitude ok, at least in front of your grandparents, we really don't need to give them anything else to criticize" Luke said sharply.

"Sure" Rory muttered.

Megan shuffled behind her Mom a little. She was not looking forward to this random evening at her grandparents' house. They usually only visited once or twice a year, and Megan couldn't remember her Dad coming with them since her parents had split up 6 years ago. She supposed that was one good thing about her sister's flip-out; her parents were united in their belief that Rory needed to start Chilton next week, and that changing her mind because of some boy was just crazy. Megan agreed with them, it was very un-Rory-like. Plus, she was pretty certain she had seen Rory talking to the boy in question the other day after school, and she couldn't see what the fuss was about, he was just tall. Megan was pretty sure he was the guy anyway, judging by how much Rory had started blushing when Megan had interrupted their conversation. But Rory was hardly talking to Megan or the rest of her family at the moment, let alone telling her sister anything about this mystery tall boy.

The door was opened by a nervous looking maid, and the four entered into what was still the fanciest house that Megan had ever been in. She couldn't believe her Mom had grown up here. They were greeted by Emily and led into the sitting room.

"Hello everybody, welcome. Goodness, aren't you girls tall? You really have grown since the last time we saw you" Richard exclaimed, as he began to pour drinks for everybody.

"Hi Grandpa, um, yes, I suppose we both got Mom and Dad's height genes" Rory answered.

"If you think I'm tall, you should see this girl Lana in my class, she's basically a giraffe, when we play basketball the other teams are always so jealous" Megan babbled.

"Oh that's nice dear, girls playing basketball, it sounds so exciting and modern" Emily smiled at her youngest granddaughter.

"Sport is an important part of any young person's education. Rory, do you play a sport?" Richard asked.

"Um no not really, just P.E at school, I don't have the best co-ordination for it really" Rory replied nervously.

Luke smiled and Megan chuckled at the thought of her sister playing any type of sport; she wasn't very athletic, choosing reading over exercising whenever possible.

"Well, there's still time. Now Luke, tell me, how's that little diner of yours doing these days?" Richard asked as he handed him a beer.

"Oh, um, yeah, it's pretty good thanks, hard work but it's doing ok".

Megan shuffled a little closer to her Dad. Even though her grandparents seemed polite enough, she knew that they judged her Dads choice of business, and disapproved of her Moms decision to leave home and have children so early without marrying, and with a man who didn't wear a suit to work. Their general displeasure of the way their daughter led her life was the main reason that Rachel and therefore Luke and the girls didn't have much contact with Richard and Emily, seeing them just once or twice a year.

"I can't wait to hear all about Chilton" Emily smiled at Rory as they sat down to dinner.

"Well I don't actually start until Monday Grandma, but the interview was great, we got to see all around the campus".

"You must be a smart girl to have been accepted into Chilton Rory, I heard that you really impressed them at the interview"

"Well, it was pretty good, we mostly talked about the books that I've been reading lately" Rory blushed at her Grandfather's praise.

"Excellent, reading is very important, such an important source of knowledge. And how about you Megan, how do you do in school, do you share your sister's love of books?"

"Um I do ok I guess, I mean not as well as Rory, and she's really the reader of the family" Megan replied uncertainly.

"Megan had her dance show last night, she performed a solo, it was incredible, you would have loved it" Rachel told her parents proudly, trying to change the subject; she didn't like to compare her daughters, in many ways they were very different, each with their own strengths.

"Oh that's nice, yes, I'm sure we would have enjoyed it, had we been invited of course. Now what does everyone think of the chicken? It's a new recipe I wanted to try out" Emily asked the table.

"It's delicious Emily, and the potatoes too, it's a great meal thank you" Luke complimented.

"Yeah, really tasty, thanks Grandma" Rory added.

"Thank you, I'm so glad to be able to give you girls a proper meal. With your father working so hard, and your mother away so often, I suppose you must both be rather used to diner food".

"Excuse me, I'm going to get some water" Rachel muttered, walking to the kitchen with an angry look.

Megan looked around the table worriedly. She was used to conversations between her Mom and grandparents ending like this. She hated how Richard and Emily picked apart their lives like this. And her grandma was wrong anyway, their Dad hardly ever let her and Rory eat at the diner, he was always making them healthy meals full of vegetables. Desserts or a pancake breakfast were definitely considered a rare treat in the Danes household, although Megan and Rory loved to try and sneak a donut from the diner whenever possible, which was always easier when their Mom was around to help, as she shared her daughters love of the junk food that Luke so objected to them eating.

"I suppose I better go and check on her" Emily sighed, after Rachel had been gone from the table for a little while.

As the rest of the family sat around the table in silence, raised voices could be heard from the kitchen. Megan looked at her grandfather and noticed that he had somehow managed to fall asleep.

As the argument carried on in the kitchen Luke cleared his throat. "Girls, let's go and wait in the other room, to give them some privacy". He began to steer Rory and Megan back into the living room. Unfortunately he wasn't quick enough to avoid them from hearing the next part of the argument though as the voices grew louder.

"So this is how it's going to be every week now is it? We come here to have you judge every part of our lives, make little digs wherever you can? That's what it's going to take for you to allow us to borrow money for Rory's education huh?"

As they heard this Rory and Megan's eyes widened, they looked at each other in shock.

…

"So…um…good dinner with the grandparent's hm?" Rory ventured as they entered back into the diner after a silent car ride.

"Oh yeah, one of their best" Rachel grinned sarcastically.

"You and grandma seemed to have a nice talk."

"How much did you hear?"

"Just snippets" Rory reassured.

"Yes, just teeny tiny snippets" Megan added sarcastically.

"So, basically everything?" Rachel grimaced.

"Um, yep, pretty much" Megan answered, and Luke nodded his agreement.

"So how many dinners until we're off the hook?" Rory asked.

"Oh I think the meal at my wake will be the last" Rachel joked. "Hey, does this mean you're really going to Chilton?" Rachel spun round to face Rory, looking hopeful.

Rory nodded, with a big grin on her face.

"Oh sweetie, that's awesome, you won't be disappointed!" She gave her daughter a huge hug. "Now go upstairs and try your skirt on so I can hem it before I leave tomorrow."

Rory raced upstairs, hugging her Dad on the way.

Luke beamed, pleased with his daughter's decision, and went out back to get the diner ready for the morning.

"So, we have to visit them every week now huh?" Megan mumbled to her Mom.

"Yep, afraid so hon, it was the only way I could get them to agree to lend us the money, and unfortunately me and your Dad just can't afford Chilton without their help. Is that ok?"

Megan shrugged, rolling her eyes slightly. She figured that it would have to be ok, since it was for Rory's education, which had apparently become the most important thing in the family right now. "I guess…but how? You won't be here every week will you?" she asked her Mom.

"Well, I'm going to try and figure out something with work so I can be here more often, I hate having to leave you girls so much, but I won't be able to be here every week. Your grandparents want your Dad to come with you when I can't though, sort of a whole family thing" Rachel explained.

"Oh, ok" Megan supposed she had been hoping for too much by thinking that perhaps these dinners would only happen when her Mom was in Stars Hollow.

"But your grandparents have put aside the same amount of money for your education too. So if we need it for a dance program, summer school, or even if you want to go to Chilton in a few years' time, it's there. They insisted, they wanted it to be fair for you both" Rachel told her, pulling her youngest daughter in for a hug.

Megan smiled slightly, pleased that her grandparents had thought of her. She always felt that they favoured Rory over her, seeing her as the smarter and less troublesome of the two, but maybe that wasn't true.


End file.
